Symptoms

Although children with typhoid fever sometimes become sick suddenly, signs and symptoms are more likely to develop gradually — often appearing one to three weeks after exposure to the disease.

1st week of illness

Once signs and symptoms do appear, you're likely to experience:

Fever, that starts low and increases daily, often to as high as 103 or 104 F (39.4 or 40 C)

Headache

Weakness and fatigue

Dry cough

Loss of appetite

Abdominal pain

Diarrhea or constipation

Rash

2nd week of illness

If you don't receive treatment for typhoid fever, you may enter a second stage during which you become very ill and experience:

Continuing high fever

Either diarrhea or severe constipation

Considerable weight loss

Extremely distended abdomen

3rd week of illness

By the third week, you may:

Become delirious

Lie motionless and exhausted with your eyes half-closed in what's known as the typhoid state

Life-threatening complications often develop at this time.

4th week of illness

Improvement may come slowly during the fourth week. Your fever is likely to decrease gradually until your temperature returns to normal in another week to 10 days. But signs and symptoms can return up to two weeks after your fever has subsided.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor immediately if you suspect you have typhoid fever. If you become ill while traveling in a foreign country, call the U.S. Consulate for a list of doctors. Better yet, find out in advance about medical care in the areas you'll visit, and carry a list of the names, addresses and phone numbers of recommended doctors.

If you develop signs and symptoms after you return home, consider consulting a doctor who focuses on international travel medicine or infectious diseases. A specialist may be able to recognize and treat your illness more quickly than can a doctor who isn't trained in these areas.

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